Football Team Falls Short Against Hope College 30-28 in Holland
The Olivet College football team fell today at Hope College, 30-28. With the loss, the Comets have a 4-4 overall and 2-3 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association record. The Flying Dutchmen improve their record to 4-5 overall and 3-2 in the MIAA.
HOLLAND, MICH. – The Olivet College football team fell today at Hope College, 30-28. With the loss, the Comets have a 4-4 overall and 2-3 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association record. The Flying Dutchmen improve their record to 4-5 overall and 3-2 in the MIAA.
After Hope took a 30-22 lead with 5:47 left in the game, the Comets marched down the field and freshman running back Damien Brown (Harper Creek Gallagher High School) scored from three yards out with 10 seconds left to cap off a 16-play, 65-yard drive. On the two-point conversion attempt, Olivet quarterback Rick Mason (Belding High School) had his pass intercepted at the goal line.
Hope scored on its first possession of the game. The Comets answered back when sophomore Mick Faasen (Belding High School) scored a pair of touchdowns (five and one-yard runs) and senior Eric Pocan (Lansing Sexton High School) added both point-after-touchdown kicks to give Olivet a 14-7 lead after the first quarter.
The Flying Dutchmen came back to take a 21-14 lead. Olivet responded and Mason found the endzone from five yards out to cut the lead to 21-20. After the snap on the extra point attempt was bobbled, freshman Jeff Walton (Frankfort High School) completed the pass attempt and the Comets led 22-21 with 1:53 left in the third stanza.
In the fourth quarter, Hope connected on a 20-yard field and scored a touchdown to take the lead back, 30-22. The stage was then set for Olivet's drive that came up short to end the game.
In the loss, Brown led the Comet ground attack with 116 yards on 20 carries. Faasen carried the ball 23 times for 90 yards. Senior Andy Boyd (Algonac High School) had two catches for 36 yards. Defensively, senior linebacker Mike Hanna (Lake Odessa/ Lakewood High School) had 12 tackles, including nine solo stops. The Comet defense also intercepted three Hope passes.
Olivet will close its 2002 season next Saturday when it hosts Wisconsin Lutheran College at Griswold Field in Olivet at 1:00 p.m.